Side loading surgical retractor

#The present invention relates generally to a surgical retractor apparatus used with interchangeable retractor blades. More particular the present invention relates to a surgical retractor with side loading interchangeable retractor blades.

#When conducting some surgical procedures, it is often desirable to retract tissue. Although there are a number of procedures and devices available to retract tissue, U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,540 allows for the top loading as well as the side loading of retractor blades into a socket. The side loading feature of this, and other prior art, is believed to be advantageous whereby the surgeon's vision is not obscured while connecting, or disconnecting a blade from a retractor. The '540 patent discloses a number of retractors which can utilize the blade of FIG. 1A, specifically, the longitudinal retractor of FIG. 3, the transverse retractor of FIG. 4, and the side-loading hand-held retractor of FIG. 5. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1C, the blades typically have connector heads locking pins typically extend from opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the connector head. Although the '540 patent specifically shows a top loading connector head, other connector heads also employ the opposing locking pin construction.

#The '540 patent utilizes a “cam member” to restrain a connector head within a socket cavity. There are believed to be a number of problems with this design. First, cams are known in the art typically as: “a disc or cylinder having an irregular form such that its motion, usually rotary gives to a part or parts in contact with it a specific rocking or reciprocating motion or motions”. In the '540 patent, the rotation of the cam 130 about pivot 128 locks and unlocks the connector head from within the socket chamber. One of the perceived drawbacks of this “cam” design is the release lever 124 rotates and extends away from the socket 12 as the cam is moved in and out of the socket chamber.

#The particular features and advantages of the invention as well as other objects will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

#FIG. 1 is a top view of a side-loading retractor with the socket of FIG. 2;

#FIG. 2 shows a top perspective view of a surgical retractor socket of the present invention;

#FIG. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a surgical retractor 10 having at least one, and preferably two, sockets 12 as shown in FIGS. 2-5. Other retractor designs may also utilize the socket 12 of the present invention. The socket 12 of this design receives a connector head 14 in a side loading manner. In fact, at least one protuberance, such as one or more pins 16, prevent a connector head 14 from being top loaded in the preferred embodiment as the pins 16 extend into the socket chamber 18. In alternative embodiments, top loading may be allowed, such as if the pins 16 are not provided, do not sufficiently extend within the socket chamber 18, or otherwise. The connector head shown and described in co-pending and co-owned Patent Application No. 60/327,437 works well with the socket 12 of the preferred embodiment.

#Instead of using a rotating cam as shown and described in the '540 patent to secure a connector head within the socket chamber as shown in FIG. 2, the preferred embodiment utilizes a linearly moving slide 20. The slide 20 is moveable in a linear manner between a locked position as shown in FIG. 3, and an unlocked position shown in phantom in FIG. 4. FIG. 4 also shows an intermediate position, such as might occur if a connector head 14 were “snapped” into position within the socket chamber 18 as will be described in further detail below.

#The slide 20 has a first face 22 which is directed outward from the socket cavity 18. The first face 22 is preferably convex so that when a connector head, which is traditionally cylindrical in shape, is pushed against the first face 22 and director 24 toward the socket cavity 18, the slide 20 is deflected into slot 26. The slot 26 receives the slide 20 so that the slide 20 or other component does not extend further away from the socket 12 to potentially snag something.